"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat
Three men were arrested in northwest Ohio and are facing drug-related charges after federal authorities say they conspired to distribute drugs during an August investigation.
Steven Garcia-Martinez, of Toledo, Carl McLane, of Holland, and Juan Luis Marquez, of Chicago, were all arrested on warrants for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute a Controlled Substance.
The trio made court appearances on Friday, where they all waived their preliminary hearings.
Their cases are now bound over to the Grand Jury. McLane waived his detention hearing, while Marquez will have his detention hearing on Wednesday afternoon, and Garcia will have his on Thursday morning.
According to an affidavit, the men were members of the Garcia Drug Trafficking Organization, based in Toledo. The Garcia DTO transports narcotics that originate in Mexico to the interior of the United States, including Toledo and Chicago. Law enforcement identified Steven Garcia-Martinez as the head of the Garcia DTO, which distributes multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in the northwest Ohio area.
Authorities began investigating McLane after agents interviewed a confidential source, who identified McLane as a kilogram-level trafficker of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Toledo area. Agents began surveillance on residences in the 9600 block of Frankfort Rd. in Holland, where McLane was known to reside.
Agents had the confidential source make contact with McLane in June for the purchase of cocaine, which occurred on Frankfort Rd. Later in June, they also observed McLane meet with another individual who has a criminal history of drug possession and trafficking.
Authorities also conducted wire and electronic investigations on Garcia and Marquez, including conversations with each other and McLane that details drug shipments and transactions.
Investigators also revealed a strained relationship between Marquez and Garcia. During one phone conversation on Aug. 22, Garcia discussed with an unknown Mexican male how to deal with Marquez, including kidnapping and killing him.
A translated transcript of the conversation included Garcia saying the following:
“I am going to tell one thing, it’s been a while since I got in trouble, but when I’m mad, I will (expletive) kill people. I don’t care if they send me to jail, because I’m only going to live so many years, but I will get paid, I will get paid which ever way I can. Or I will screw it and run, let see if they catch me. I’m just telling you one thing, I will go all the way to the tower and wait for him there. I will shoot him right there, I have one with a silencer and no witness, no witness there.”
Authorities said “the tower” referred to an apartment building in Chicago where Marquez lived.
Search warrants were issued on Aug. 24 on the properties in Holland, including a third property on Frankfort and another on N. Eber. During the execution of those warrants, agents seized approximately 30 kilograms of suspected cocaine and large amounts of bulk currency from the properties. McLane was found at one of the Frankfort properties, where he was arrested.
Garcia traveled to Holland, Mich., on that same day to purchase a vehicle with drug proceeds for Marquez. A judge issued a search warrant for Garcia’s residence in the 700 block of Brighton in Toledo. He was arrested after he drove back to Ohio from Michigan. Agents found $30,000 and a loaded Hi-Point .380 pistol, loaded with Sig Sauer ammunition, which is not produced in Ohio. Garcia is a convicted felon not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition, which investigators believe he traveled over state lines to purchase.
On Aug. 25, Marquez flew from Chicago to Detroit, where he was picked up and driven to Ohio. Marquez and the driver were stopped by law enforcement after driving past the Holland target locations, and Marquez was arrested
That's lot of dope, big time in the pokey.
ReplyDeleteOne of the guys looks like James Brown.
ReplyDeleteBarney Harris of North Carolina.
DeleteBarney Harris is dead, they ran article here on BB, he tried to rob a Cjng safehouse and got killed in the shootout, his family is suing the Mexican Embassy.
DeleteWhere is James Brown, I miss his comments.
DeleteJames has Two jobs, very busy man, has to have money pay for the $2,000 a month one bedroom apartment Then food, car, wife kids.
DeleteToledo resident here. Been reading borderland beat for years for the interesting news coming out of mexico. Never thought I would see my home town on here. Awesome story..thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome get me a beer, por favor.
DeleteWhile you ad it bring tacos de carne asada con Chile rojo.
DeleteSteve a og hopefully he was steering his men right
ReplyDeleteBully Jean Horowitz apparently not, poor grampa going to spend his last year's in prison, at least he won't be homeless, 3 tv dinners a day, shower and watch Doctor Phil shows on TV.
Delete